Golden Likes Maryland, Hopes Offer Comes Soon

Trevor David

08/26/2010

2011 defensive tackle prospect visited College Park this summer and has Terps high on his list.

Monte Golden is a big kid with a big future. The senior defensive tackle out of Northside High School in Jacksonville, N.C. does not have any offers as of yet, but said if everything goes as planned he expects to have some fairly early in his final high school season.

Golden attended camp at the University of Maryland in July and worked out both at defensive tackle and center.

They like me at defensive tackle, but theyd rather see me at center, the 6-foot-2, 298-pounder said.

He has been in contact with Maryland since early in the summer and describes his interest as very high, speaking mostly with Charles Bankins who is the Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach for the Terps.

I havent talked to them as much recently as I have in the past because theyre just as busy as I am, Golden said. I hope to hear more from them and Im going to go see a game this year.

He isnt joking about being busy. Golden said he has attended seven or eight camps, including one at LSU in July.

I like Baton Rouge, Golden said. At that camp by far I think I won the most attention from just performance. I got to talk to Coach (Les) Miles. That was a big experience for me.

While Maryland is more interested in Goldens talents as a potential center, he said schools looking at him are mixed on where they want to see him play.

Its kind of up in the air, he said. It doesnt matter to me what position I play.

Golden has ties to the Old Line State, as his father is from the area and he has some extended family in Maryland as well.

Theyre all huge Maryland fans, he said.

The defensive tackle and possible center seems to be a fan in his own right of the area and the idea of possibly becoming a Terrapin.

The biggest thing is just the great opportunity, Golden said. As far as academics, if theres something you want to major in and they dont have it you can create your own major. Being close to D.C. would also be a great opportunity.

Golden listed LSU, Maryland, Duke and ECU as schools that have impressed him throughout the recruiting process, but he is still waiting to see how everything unfolds to name any frontrunners.

I dont have a top five right now, Im just kind of waiting it out, he said. Everybody says they want to see me play the first couple of games and Ill send out some game film.

He hasnt gone on any official visits to date, but is beginning to plan out the possibilities.

I know I want to take some, but I havent really decided where yet, Golden said. Me and my dad are going to sit down and talk later on in the season.

For now, though, Golden made it clear his final high school season is his first priority as he looks to improve on his output on every play.

I want to make sure I finish everything that I do, he said. On offense I tend to make a block and then once the running back gets by me, Im jogging. I need to make sure I finish the play and stay 100 percent all the time.

One hundred percent from a near 300-pounder who can play both sides of the ball will likely mean a lot of offers for Golden in the near future.

In this years season opener, Golden recorded 14 tackles (five solo), a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on defense, and six pancakes from the offensive side.